Maxwell School News and Commentary

Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs, says the North's satellite launch is mostly for "domestic political consumption" and unlikely to have a substantial impact. "Kim’s autocracy is legitimized by the 'enduring threat' of the U.S., and this demonstration shows he’s fulfilling his social contract with North Koreans."

"So if we can pair climate decarbonization with more increased secure access to people's basic material needs, you could start to build a much broader popular base," says Matthew Huber, professor of geography and the environment. 

“North Korea’s recent development and initial testing of a long-range solid-fuel ICBM does represent a significant step forward in its ongoing development of potentially nuclear-capable delivery vehicles,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. 

Ying Shi, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, and John G. Singleton of the University of Rochester, investigated what happens when educators are elected to school boards. "Despite raising teachers’ salaries, electing an educator to a school board does not translate into improved outcomes for students and has negative impacts on charter schools."

Grant Reeher, professor of political science, says no single law will solve the issues of gun violence. “You have to think very specifically about it,” Reeher says. “There is no one blanket policy that is going to say, ‘OK, this is going to reduce gun violence and it is going to apply equally to everybody.’ You have to think of the pockets and where the risk is.”

Gladys McCormick, Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations, says Lopez Obrador’s recent actions reflect the “sort of populist demagogue persona that he’s carved out for himself,” and that it’s all been part of a perfect recipe “for him to be go out there in public and remind people that he is, above all, for Mexico.”

"Statements are easy, action is more difficult," says Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science. "For oil-producing states, like Saudi Arabia, these sorts of statements and agitations are also a way to get America's attention. Flirting with the Chinese may make American policymakers focus more attention on the interests of the Gulf states." 

“It turns out that partisanship just swamped everything else as early as March of 2020," says Shana Gadarian, professor and chair of political science. 

“Certainly, there’s not enough affordable housing,” says Gretchen Purser, associate professor of sociology. “You have a situation of high poverty and a really kind of outrageous rental market in Syracuse.”

“To me, de-dollarization just means a government’s ability to reduce its dependence or reliance on the dollar,” says Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science. “I think the key thing here is to try to distinguish or separate the concept of de-dollarization from the end of dollar dominance. I don’t think those two things have to go together.”